


Nostalgia

by Megalovanilize



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Fingering, Begging, Breathplay, Choking, Grinding, Kinda, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multiple Orgasms, Omega Verse, Overstimulation, Pirates, Somnophilia, Strength Kink, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:46:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21955351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megalovanilize/pseuds/Megalovanilize
Summary: “Well well well, tongue sharp as ever I see. But if my sense of smell is still working right, you’ve got a certain problem you could use my help with. As long as we’re not fighting, how would you like to come back to my ship and take care of this the old fashioned way?”Captain Germaine’s heat hits a week early, and with his first mate Sylas out on a mission of his own, there’s no one he can turn to but his old enemy Captain Dubab. The two haven’t civilly spoken in years, but what other option is there?
Relationships: Captain Morgan Appendix Germaine/Captain Dubab, Captain Morgan Appendix Germaine/Sylas Delacour, Original D&D Character(s)/Original D&D Character(s), Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 20
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas y’all! I’ve been working on this for a while, and I think I’ve finally gotten the FINAL final draft ready. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Comments would mean the world to me, thank you so much for reading!

Germaine’s heat was early, and he was _pissed_.

He’d been forced to deal with this since he’d hit adulthood, and he’d always hated every minute of it. Normally it became less frequent as a person got older, but the spell keeping his age stagnant prevented that too. Although it only hit once a year he was always absolutely miserable; the atmosphere on the Lumiere became stiflingly hot, the normally faint scents of his crew became cloying, and he was just itching for a fight. All normal symptoms, part of the reason they’d docked at this shithole of a city. He knew the rest of it would set in soon. That was the worst of it- the desperation: the feeling that he would do anything to have someone else beside him. Sylas could normally help him through it, but he was off on some business of his own. As soon as the ship had docked he’d been at the job board, wanting to get some work done in the city before he spent so much time holed up on the ship. Germaine had simply agreed, each of them convinced he would be back in time to wait out the cycle after finishing off whoever he found on the list. 

They weren’t so lucky. Unfortunately, Sylas had said he would need at least a few days to complete the mission, and Germaine didn’t have the heart to call him back just for this. An early heat wasn’t completely unheard of, but it was exceedingly uncommon for the pirate hunter. He was currently sitting in his office, bouncing his knee and running through his options in his head.

Docked at Bowerstone Industrial, finding a cheap whore would have been astonishingly easy. The difficult part came with Germaine’s inability to trust anyone he met in this god forsaken town. Being alive for as long as he had been came with a few drawbacks, one of which was an extensive knowledge on the imperfections of human nature; depending on others to treat you well was nothing but a fool’s errand. Of course there were exceptions, but he wasn’t willing to take that chance with so much on the line. Ugh, he couldn’t even have a drink. The alcohol would only worsen the process- something he’d found out the hard way. Still, a change in scenery would be a welcome distraction from the dilemma at hand.

Deciding he needed some air, Germaine finally left the ship to take a stroll along the harbor. Maybe the saltwater would clear his head, or overwhelm the desperate need for intimacy coursing through him. _Gods,_ he missed Sylas.

… based on those thoughts it would be ineffective, but hey. It couldn’t hurt to try.

In a way, he was wrong. The sound and smell of the ocean lapping against the sand cooled his internal fever, soothing his frazzled nerves and finally letting him breathe. The ocean always had a way of calming him down. The gentle breeze brushed over him like silk as he walked, allowing him to let go of his worries for a moment and simply exist.

Of course, all of that was shattered as he heard the telltale sound of boots crunching on the sand. He turned slightly to see who would be joining him, but halted completely when he caught a glimpse of a telltale shade of green. Shit, why _him_ ? Why _now_ ? Reaching for his thunder cannon, he realized too late that he’d left it on the ship, not bothering to take it on such a simple venture. Think this through, Germaine. You wouldn’t be able to win anyway, he’s approaching you alone and head on. Grounds for a duel. The way he’s moving doesn’t suggest a fight, but be on your guard in case he tries something. You didn’t see his songblade, but he could have concealed weapons. Catalog his movements, and then it’s showtime. Germaine took a deep breath in anticipation before turning fully to look at his rival, shifting into a battle stance as he moved. The ocean wind blew the orc’s hair back as he swaggered toward the water, thankfully hiding his scent from the pirate hunter. His hands were hooked on the waistband of his tattered pants, tusks glinting in the light. Insufferable as always. _Gods_ , he was attractive. 

“Relax, I’m not here to fight for once.” True to his word, Dubab halted a few feet away from him, chuckling when Germaine took an additional step back. “I’d have hell to pay with that annoying little bird of yours if I killed you now. I saw your ship and figured you’d be around. You tend to be more fun alive anyway.” 

“Wow, I’m impressed that an intellect such as yours could find me here. Glad to know you’re still enjoying my company, even if the opinion comes at the expense of my crew members- all of whom have names, by the way, not that I expect you would remember.” Though he was responding normally, Germaine had to put real effort into keeping his knees from shaking as he stood. Dubab being this close during his heat was eliciting a response almost Pavlovian in nature; his body was reacting nearly faster than he could keep up with. He managed to keep himself upright through sheer force of will, though it became even more of a challenge what Dubab began to circle around him, leaving no choice but to for Germaine follow in stride. He was dreading the moment he’d be hit with the orc’s pheromones, but staying where he was invited too many opportunities. He moved as he spoke, keeping his eyes on Dubab and counting down each step until the point they’d be parallel with the waves. 3… 2… 1… _brace yourself, Morgan_.

The scent hit him like a gunshot; he was lucky he’d known to prepare for it. Taking effect all at once, the odor of blood, iron, and salt soaked wood overwhelmed his senses. On a normal day he could ignore it, but with his current condition it was absolutely intoxicating. He halted in the sand. No matter how much of a handle Germaine thought he had on himself, he couldn’t prevent his eyes from flicking down to catch a glimpse of Dubab’s muscular chest for just a moment. His hands squeezed into fists before he was able to look back up at his face, forced to witness the orc’s slight smile morph into a lecherous smirk. Inhaling heavily- just for display, Germaine knew he’d been noticing his smell since he arrived- he grinned as he finally seemed to realize just what was going on. _Shit_.

“Well well well, tongue sharp as ever I see. But if my sense of smell is still working right, you’ve got a certain problem you could use my help with. As long as we’re not fighting, how would you like to come back to my ship and take care of this the old fashioned way?” If Dubab was attractive normally, right now he looked like a god. The setting sun glinted off his toned form, shadows emphasized with the golden lighting. Long hair blowing with the sea breeze, he didn’t seem to care as it whipped across his face, failing to obscure the long tusks in his lower jaw. The hunger in his eyes was only intensified by the smell still assaulting Germaine’s senses, and the pirate hunter nearly accepted the offer before he fully came back to himself. _Idiot_ , you can’t go with him! You’re smarter than that, Sylas will be back soon, and you can work through your heat with someone you actually trust. 

“I’d rather not, thanks.” His voice was ice cold as he straightened up, thankful for the fabric of his coat hiding the tent in his trousers. “I’ll be finishing my business here soon, just hope you don’t see me when we’re back on the water.” The tails of his jacket fluttered as he whipped around to leave, stalking down the beach in the opposite direction. Although he knew he looked striking and in-control as he walked, he could still feel Dubab smirking at his back.

“We’re here for a few more days, Appendix. You know the ship,” Dubab called after him, chuckling as Germaine heard the sand crunching with his departure. The pirate hunter didn’t dare turn back around for the next few minutes, waiting until he was sure his rival was far enough away he couldn’t be seen. Finally, once he was certain he had waited long enough, he looked over his shoulder to confirm Dubab’s absence. Letting out a shaky breath once he’d validated his suspicions, he stopped and let his head hang back for a moment. Just a few more days of this stupid heat and it would all be over. Sylas was scheduled to be back soon, and he could deal on his own until then. 

———————-

Germaine could not deal on his own.

“What do you _mean_ he’ll be gone for a few more days?” the captain hissed at the grimy child trembling before him. Germaine knew he shouldn’t be shooting the messenger, but he couldn’t help but snap slightly at the child who brought him the note. It had been three days since he’d met Dubab on the beach- the day Sylas was supposed to have returned from his mission- and it had been hell to try and hold out against his own body for that long. Holed up in his room alone without a partner, he knew his scent must have permeated the entirety of the ship, though he kept the door closed despite the baking heat. He was unbelievably restless, and being meaner than he likely needed to with someone of such a young age.

“I-I’m sorry sir, that’s all he gave me. He just said to find the white ship, I didn’t see where he went.” The lack of knowledge, though he knew it was no fault of the child, simply heightened Germaine’s frustration. Rereading the note, Germaine growled lowly as he stalked back to his room, just barely noticing the quartermaster handing the kid a silver piece and explaining that the captain was simply stressed. He’d express his gratitude for her handling of affairs once this was over with. 

Anyone in his path wisely vacated the area upon seeing him, not necessarily knowing why their captain was acting in the manner he was, but knowing to stay out of his way. He slammed the door behind him once he made it into his quarters, running a hand through his hair and letting out a heavy sigh as he settled onto his bed. He had even taken to leaving his coat in the room due to his own temperature, so he merely needed to slip off his dress shirt in order to remove the remainder of fabric from his chest and back. Jerking off had proved to be just as unsatisfying as a complete lack of stimulation had been, his short orgasms providing him with temporary relief from the feeling that came back twice as strong when he finished. It wasn’t nearly enough, it had never been enough- he was absolutely miserable on his own. He knew he’d have to find someone else, so he once again ran through the options in his head.

Despite his rather obvious appearance, Sylas could disappear if he so wished. Even after knowing him for decades, Germaine stood no chance of finding him in the city he’d been trained as an assassin. He wouldn’t humiliate himself to the rest of his crew by requesting their help, and he wouldn’t lower himself to the level of buying sex off the street. With the absence of his first mate, that left him only one remaining option. _Fuck_. Was he really considering going to Dubab with this? It had been so long, it would give the orc so much satisfaction to know Germaine physically couldn’t last without him. Was it really worth all that?

… Yes. It was. Finally, his body won out over his mind. He needed some relief, and Dubab was the one that could give it to him. He hated himself for it, but he’d been so desperate for so long that he finally cracked. Taking a moment to don a clean shirt, he stood up and put his coat back on, though he didn’t bother to pull his hair back. After a moment’s consideration, he left his thunder cannon on the Lumiere, not trusting the Dubaddies to leave it alone while he was with their captain. Shit, this was an awful idea. As he left, he simply told his quartermaster that she was in charge of the ship until he or Sylas returned. Not bothering to explain the reason he would be gone, he made sure to tell her not to expect him for a while.

After being aboard the ship for so many years, it took Germaine no time at all to locate the _Uhhh_ floating in the docks. He hesitated for one more moment before making his way onto the dark wood, contemplating with himself on whether he was actually going through with this, but the burning in his veins demanded he take that step. Running a hand through his hair and letting out one last sigh of resignation, the man stepped on board. 

As always, Dubab’s ship was an absolute shitshow. It reeked, the wood was chipping, and it was full of people Morgan would rather see dead. The one redeeming quality was the lack of filth- most definitely the work of the gelatinous cube patrolling the deck. Germaine quickly surveyed his potential enemies, scanning the ship for anyone immediately trying to kill him, but the only thing that caught his attention was Rivur walking up to him with a guarded expression on her face. Thank the gods, she would understand everything. As patient as he normally was, however, as Germaine felt another wave of heat hit him all of his normal mannerisms went out the window. He grabbed onto the railing to steady himself, swaying where he stood for a moment and out of the corner of his eye seeing her lurch forward to try and help. However, he quickly held up a hand to stop her, standing up straight again and dusting off his coat. He knew he looked like shit, but was hoping it would simply minimize questions. Opening her mouth to speak, the pirate clearly wasn’t expecting Germaine to beat her to the punch.

“Take me to him. I’m not here to fight, I swear.” For a moment she hesitated, conflicted at his words. She quickly glanced back at where he knew the captain’s quarters to be, but Germaine couldn’t wait for her to make up her mind. “Rivur, you know why I’m here. I wouldn’t be if I had any other option. Don’t make me beg.” Her look of pity at his desperate tone simply heightened his sense of shame, and he was thankful when it flashed back into determination. Nodding at him, she turned back and quickly began making her way towards the door below deck. He had just enough of his wits about him to keep a respectful distance behind her as they moved, fiddling with a spring in his pocket just to keep his hands occupied. Finally, _finally_ , they made it to the door Germaine knew all too well. He couldn’t help but shift impatiently from foot to foot as she knocked, drawing her eyes once more. He hated feeling like this, he hated that she looked at him like he needed help, he hated that he was in this scenario in the first place. But what else was he supposed to do?

“Come in,” rumbled a deep baritone from behind the oak. It was deep and delicious, and Germaine had to lock his knees to stop them from buckling right there outside the door. He could feel the sweat sliding down his back under his clothes, hyper aware of every sensation against his skin. The empty feeling inside him grew with every breath, and the captain nearly shivered in anticipation as the door creaked open. 

The oak swung open and gods, there he was. In his mind, Germaine knew it was the same man he’d been fighting for hundreds of years. He knew that it was completely illogical to see him any differently now, and that it was purely his biology working against him. He knew he shouldn’t let his judgement be clouded, and he would certainly regret this later.

However, his mind was currently taking a backseat.

Dubab looked fucking _divine_ , muscles practically shining in the low light. His claws dug ever so slightly into the wood of his chair, strong hands tightening on the armrests as he saw his long time rival outside of the door. Black eyes flashed with interest as the corners of his scarred lips twitched upwards into the beginnings of a smirk. Gods, he was attractive. _Gods_ , Germaine wanted him.

“He’s here to see you, Captain.” Rivur’s comment snapped him back to reality, and he glanced over to find her looking at him with barely hidden worry, as if checking to see if he was really going through with it. As resentful as he was of the situation at hand, she had never been anything but helpful and supportive of him, even after he had left the crew. Locking eyes with her, he gave her a respectful nod as an expression of gratitude, hoping he was able to convey all he meant in that singular movement. Thankfully, if her answering nod meant anything at all, it worked. 

As she left, Germaine turned back to Dubab, coming face to face with a sharp-toothed grin. The orc’s eyes swept over him, savoring his disheveled appearance as the pirate hunter stood in his doorway. As much as he would’ve preferred to close the door, Germaine wasn’t going to take his eyes off the other for even a moment, instead leaning against the frame to disguise his shaking form. The lecherous gaze locked onto him was disgusting, but it would be worth it in a moment. As long as Dubab didn’t fucking ruin it.

“Back so soon, Appendix?” And like that, he ruined it. “I thought you said-”

“Cut the shit, Dubab. We both know why I’m here, let’s just skip the unnecessary dialogue and get to you fucking me already.” With the level of impatience normally present in Dubab when they were together, Germaine was nearly certain he would take the bait.

Oh, how wrong he was.

He at least succeeded in shocking him, Dubab’s smug expression quickly flashing into one of surprise. Any satisfaction Germaine might have felt at this small victory was overridden by the fire in his blood, and he once again had to resist pouncing on Dubab right then in his office. However, the tables turned when the pirate's face shifted back into a shit-eating grin, throwing Morgan for a loop. 

“Ask nicely.” He didn’t move from his seat.

“... what?” Most of Germaine’s vocabulary had been thrown out when he walked onto this ship, but those two words truly annihilated whatever was left. His entire train of thought seemed to short circuit, leaving him with just the moment at hand. And what a moment it was.

“You heard what I said, Appendix. Beg.” Legs spread, head resting on his arm, claws gently tapping a rhythm into the desk, Dubab was looking far too sure of himself for Germaine’s liking. He absolutely refused to degrade himself any further at the hands of this bard piece of shit.

“I’m not going to fucking-” before Germaine could even finish his sentence Dubab had shot out of his chair like a cannonball, shoving him against the wall with a dull thud and a hand on his throat. He was so fast Morgan barely even saw him move. They were in the fucking hallway, anybody could see them, what the fuck was he doing? Despite knowing it was completely futile, Germaine shoved against Dubab’s hands, using all his strength to try and escape the orc’s iron grip. However, just as he suspected, it was totally useless. No matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t get away, and it was exactly what he’d been craving all week. Not that he would ever let anyone know. “Get off me!”

“Beg.” When Dubab shoved a knee between his legs, Germaine had to bite his lip hard enough to draw blood to keep himself from moaning. It just felt so _good_ ; he could feel the muscles contracting underneath him and he knew it would be fucking amazing to have someone on top of him again. His resolve was quickly thinning, replaced by the burning need running through his veins. As he could feel himself gradually slipping away he let his head thud back against the wall, still holding onto Dubab’s wrist with both hands. Looking up at the orc only serve to further crack his persistence, tusks glinting as he smirked down at the man trying _so_ hard to grind down on his thigh. He couldn’t get the right angle, couldn’t get any form of relief, and Germaine’s will finally broke.

“ _Please_ !” He completely lost any ability to care who heard them, yelling the word into the otherwise empty hallway. Furiously blinking back the angry tears threatening to form in his eyes had him at a disadvantage, but the small part of him that still had a dignity wouldn’t let him cry. Not here, not like this, not with him. Gritting his teeth, muscles drawn tight as a bowstring, his only indication of a change was the slight dilation of Dubab’s pupils in those dark eyes. _Finally_.

The feeling was short lived, however, as the orc bent down slightly to pick him up and throw him over his shoulder like he weighed no more than the songblade he carried. In any other circumstance he would’ve been livid at the humiliating treatment; he knew he should’ve been mad, but feeling those muscles flex underneath him was affecting him more than he would’ve liked to admit. Though the conflicting components in his mind battled for dominance, the scraps remaining of his pride wouldn’t allow him to be manhandled like this. 

“Put me down, dammit. I can walk on my own, you’re fucking ridiculous-” his protests- halfhearted as they were- fell silent relatively quickly at the feeling of a massive clawed hand shifting down to rather roughly squeeze his ass. The squeak he made in response only contributed to the flush quickly growing across his face, and his attempt to knee Dubab in the chest in retaliation went about as poorly as he expected it to. The orc didn’t even flinch.

“Shut up,” Dubab growled, practically kicking in the door as they finally made it to the end of the hall. Slamming it shut behind them, he tossed the man over his shoulder onto the bed before leaning down to quickly unbuckle his boots. The landing knocked the wind out of Germaine’s lungs, but the mattress was soft and nothing was hurt but his pride. Still, he was indignant as he rolled over to protest the rough treatment. 

“Oh, so we’ve graduated to me being thrown now? You think you can just-” before Germaine could finish that sentence, Dubab was shucking his vest off and starting to unlace his breeches, effectively stealing the words from his rival’s lips. He was already hard, and it took Germaine a moment to stop short-circuiting and react. However, once he got his bearings back, he immediately began unbuttoning his coat, only managing to get it done before Dubab made it to him out of sheer muscle memory. Quickly throwing the article of clothing in the general direction of the desk, he had just started on his dress shirt when the pirate began prowling towards the bed, simply ripping open the remaining buttons and beginning to mouth at Germaine’s neck. “I need to wear something out of here, you jackass,” the captain growled, kicking off his boots and unlacing his pants as well as he could with a few hundred pounds of orc on top of him. Gods, he felt perfect. Ignoring his words, Dubab slid the remains of his shirt off his shoulders, already focused on leaving far more marks than were acceptable on Germaine’s neck. At least his coat was still intact.

That was one of the last coherent thoughts he had before Dubab slid a hand down into his pants, never stopping the motions of his tongue as he grabbed Germaine’s dick in one massive hand. Oh _fuck_ , that was good. It was getting harder and harder to form coherent thoughts, surrounded by tan green skin and muscle and _Dubab_ , and he couldn’t even try to hold back his moans anymore. He couldn’t have focused on staying quiet even if he’d wanted to, already having lost the ability to care about anyone else on the ship hearing them. On the edge of his consciousness he was aware that Dubab was talking, growling out words that probably would’ve made a prostitute blush, but he was so out of his mind with need he could only comprehend the general idea of the phrases. Germaine wasn’t completely sure where Dubab pulled the oil from, but he was slicking his fingers up and Morgan was shoving down his breeches as quickly as he could without tearing the seams to make room. 

The groan the captain let out at the press of the first finger inside him would normally have been much too desperate for his liking, but as it was he couldn’t stop himself from begging for more. Barely able to understand himself, he couldn’t even come up with any of his normal snark or banter through the fog clouding his mind. Dubab was stretching him just a bit too quickly, riding the edge of pain and pleasure, and gods it was delicious. The pleasant burn it created intensified every other sensation, and he ground back against the thick fingers working him open, openly moaning as he kept an iron grip on the biceps of the man above him. The feeling of those muscles moving was intoxicating; they were thick enough that he could barely get a hand halfway around one, and Germaine had never been more alright with anything in his life.

“C’mon, I can take it, give it to me Dubab I _need_ it, I need you, please just-” Germaine’s breath caught in a strangled moan; before he could say any more, clawed hands grabbed his hips as the tip of Dubab’s thick cock started pressing into his ass. He slid in slowly- a sharp contrast to the way he normally rammed his way in with one thrust- and simply stopped once he bottomed out, allowing Germaine a few moments to adjust to his size. He was thankful that Dubab wasn’t being a _complete_ ass today; tears began to prick at the corners of his eyes as the overwhelming sensations were amplified by the sharp sting of a lack of adequate stretching. He felt like he was being torn apart, but the pain was being overshadowed by the feeling of being so _full_ . He hadn’t even moved yet and Germaine could already feel himself getting close, but he knew that no matter what happened they were nowhere _near_ finished. Gods above and below, this was exactly what he needed; the only thing that could make it better would be if he would _move already_. 

Dubab waited until he had finally adjusted to the feeling, until he was trying to fuck himself back on his cock, until he was on the verge of begging again- _then_ he started to move. Germaine didn’t last much longer, the sensation of being so thoroughly impaled too much for him to handle; he screamed as he came, clenching down hard on Dubab’s cock. There were tears stinging in his eyes as the coil in his stomach finally snapped, releasing all the pent up energy that had been building within him for the past few days. Despite having already come, he continued to grind back against Dubab, whose rhythm seemed unaffected by the actions of his companion. 

“Don’t you _dare_ fucking stop-” Germaine grit out from between clenched teeth, near a yell in volume as he bucked in time with the man on top of him. Cutting himself off with a choked moan, he let his head hang back, accidentally exposing his neck in the process and allowing the orc to wrap a hand around it. He didn’t squeeze- yet- but the clear threat made Germaine’s dick twitch as he moaned again at the sensation. Keeping his eyes locked with Dubab’s, Germaine tilted his head back further to allow more access to the column of his throat; _shit_ , it was good to see those eyes darken. It felt so good to not have to think, to be able to just lay there and take what was given to him. He didn’t have to be in control- he didn’t even have a choice- and his mind was finally blank. Dubab fucked him until he was hard again, tears sliding down Germaine’s cheeks at the returning of the tightness in his stomach. Just the right side of too much, he couldn’t stop himself from moaning desperately at the quick snaps of the orc’s hips. He was already climbing towards his second peak when he felt Dubab’s thrusts starting to get more erratic, inconsistent motions betraying his closeness to his own climax. The feeling of Dubab’s knot kissing against his entrance was delicious, and he ground down against it with renewed vigor to try and get it to slip inside.

“Knot me, please, I wanna be full of you, I want to take all of you again, Dubab _please_ ,” Germaine whimpered, pressing himself further into the hand on his neck. If Dubab was predatory before, he was positively feral now, viciously ramming himself into the man beneath him. He was relentless, and with each thrust Germaine could feel the knot getting closer and closer to slipping inside. The tension inside him kept building and building, pushing him closer to his peak with each breath, finally shoving him over with a high pitched whine and an arching of his back. His climax hit him at the same moment Dubab forced the entirety of that thick knot inside of him, and Germaine’s vision went white as he came.

When he faded back into consciousness, Dubab was still above him, slowly grinding his knot into Germaine’s ass. He seemed to have calmed down, gently mouthing against the skin of Morgan’s neck and running clawed hands across his body. Sore in the best possible way, the pirate hunter sighed softly, reaching a hand up to pet the dark strands of hair streaming across the orc’s scarred shoulders and nuzzling into the neck above him. His free hand absentmindedly ran over the muscles in Dubab’s arms and chest, allowing himself to enjoy the sensations while they lasted. He was absolutely glowing, comforted by the weight gently resting on him and no longer feeling like he was burning from the inside out. Why didn’t he do this more often?

Wait.

Shit.

What the _fuck_ did he just do?

Stopping the movement of his hands for a moment, Germaine forced his eyes to come back into focus for long enough to look around and see just where he was. Gods dammit. Was this Dubab’s bedroom? What the fuck. Yep, there was that fucking obnoxious songblade, what the _fuck_. _What_ did he _do_? He was in _Dubab’s bed!_ With a _knot_ in his _ass!_ _What the fuck?!_ He used the hand still resting on the back of Dubab’s neck to get some purchase on his hair, gathering a handful and tugging so the orc would actually get the message and sit up. 

“Did you really just fucking knot me?” He was angry at Dubab, sure, but he was even more angry at himself for allowing this. Angry at his body for making this so absolutely necessary, angry at his mind for failing to consider the consequences. Eyebrows knitting together in confusion, Dubab’s head tilted slightly at Germaine’s words. His eyes remained slightly glazed over with pleasure and he was very clearly still trying to enjoy his afterglow, which only pissed Germaine off more.

“Uh, yea? You were begging me for it a second ago, what‘s the matter?” 

“What‘s the _matter_ ? Listening to me when I’m in heat is the same as asking you for advice in a chess match, dipshit.” He still had to work at coherent speech, knew it would be so much easier to just lay back and take it, but he couldn’t fucking _believe_ Dubab didn’t have the minuscule amount of brain cells necessary to figure out why it was such a shit idea to _knot him_ . Infuriatingly, all Dubab did in response to his anger was roll his eyes, letting out a small sigh as he grabbed Germaine by the hips and rolled them over. In the moment it took him to register the movement, there were two tree trunk arms wrapping around him to hold him against the orc’s wide chest, eliminating any hope he might’ve had about leaving his current position. Of course he still tried, hissing out curses and pushing against the man beneath him like a bird in a cage. Unfortunately, the movement jostled the knot still inside him, and it took an ungodly amount of self control not to moan as he felt it shift. Soon, however, Dubab seemed to grow tired of his struggling, moving one hand to shove two fingers into his mouth mid-sentence. More than anything Germaine was surprised, pausing in his movements to register what had just happened. Turning to catch a glimpse of Dubab’s face, he was surprised to find an expression in his eyes that was almost _bored_.

"You're too loud," Dubab grumbled, "I like you better when you're moaning or saying nothing at all." For once, Dubab had the captain at a loss for words- not that he could’ve responded even if he’d wanted to. Finally realizing it just wasn’t worth it to put up any more of a fight, Germaine huffed out a sigh and surrendered, laying his chin on the orc’s shoulder. Even though he couldn’t see it, he could feel the self satisfied smirk radiating from the man beneath him- especially when the remaining arm slung over his back relaxed ever so slightly. Attempting to move his head back to regain the use of his mouth only caused Dubab’s claws to press harder into his tongue, swiftly quelling any hope for speech he might’ve had. Ugh, of course. He hadn’t drawn blood yet, but if they kept up the way they were going it would only be a matter of time, so Germaine forced himself to relax and not react to the orc’s attempts to rile him up.

Dubab apparently saw this line of thought as a prime opportunity, getting to work further marking up Germaine’s neck. Though he made a small sound of protest, the pirate hunter mostly just allowed it to happen, shifting slightly to find a more comfortable position. Every so often Dubab would grind up into him slightly, simply reminding them both of the knot that seemingly refused to go down. Germaine tried to stifle his whimpers when it happened, but the feeling of a fanged smirk growing against his skin suggested that he wasn’t doing as good of a job as he’d hoped. He knew full well that Dubab could feel the vibrations against his fingers anyway, so it wasn’t like it mattered much. Against his better judgement- not like he could stop him anyway, the possessive bastard- Germaine let the orc leave a more noticeable bruise low on his neck. He knew Dubab was only doing it to claim him, to mark his territory, to let everyone know that this one was _his_ , but at this point Germaine was past the point of caring. They both knew that in a few days, things would go back to normal, and these would simply be old memories. Until then, he could deal with whatever Dubab decided to throw at him.

Eventually, Dubab took his hand out of Germaine’s mouth, stirring the man out of the half-asleep state he’d been in. For reasons unbeknownst to either of them, he ran his tongue along the claws as they passed his lips, drawing an appreciative rumble out of the orc. Dubab was considerate for once, wiping away the saliva coating his fingers before moving them to run through Germaine’s hair. Sighing in contentment, Morgan shifted so he could rest his head against Dubab’s chest, finally allowing himself to fully close his eyes. A small nap couldn’t hurt anything…


	2. Chapter 2

Upon waking, Germaine had to take a moment to remember where he was. Warm, full, and resting on a gently moving chest, he was in heaven. His body had all it needed, and the pirate hunter was about to cuddle back up to whoever was underneath him and go back to sleep when he realized just who that chest belonged to. Holding back a sigh, he shifted slightly so he could look up into the face of his longtime rival Captain Dubab. Even he had to admit the orc looked… peaceful. At least more tolerable than normal. Gently holding Germaine to his chest, face clear of any murderous intent or dumbass comments, it was easy to slip back into old habits. Especially since they’d fallen asleep waiting for his knot to go down, so Dubab’s cock was still nestled snugly in Germaine’s ass.

Of course as soon as remembered that particular detail, there was a soft knock on the door. With the calmness of the moment shattered, Germaine’s pulse skyrocketed.  _ No one _ could see him like this, he would never live it down. However, before he could truly settle into a state of panic, he heard Rivur’s gentle voice on the other side of the oak. She knew damn well not to barge in, and Germaine relaxed against the firm muscle underneath him.

“If either of you are still awake, I’m leaving some water outside. I assume you’ll be needing it, and if you two kill each other there’ll be hell to pay.” Germaine chuckled softly at her words, knowing she meant every one of them. However, he would need to talk to her before Dubab woke up; glancing down slightly to make sure he was fully asleep, Morgan called after her.

“Rivur, wait a moment.” Cringing heavily at the rasp in his voice, he just barely heard her laugh behind the door. That would figure, wouldn’t it? Germaine gently shifted Dubab’s arms onto the bed, drawing a small grumble from the orc as he lifted himself up off of him. Though he let out a small hiss of discomfort at the movement, at least he was up. Climbing down off the bed, he grabbed his coat to cover himself before answering the door, not wanting to keep her waiting for longer than he had to. Quietly opening the door revealed Rivur standing there with a pitcher of liquid and two tankards balanced on a tray. She raised an eyebrow at his appearance, chuckling slightly at his state as she looked him over. Merely shrugging and rolling his eyes, he laughed with her as he took the items from her hands. Neither of them could quite wrap their heads around him being here again; it reminded Germaine far too much of old times.

“Thank you. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here, I assume you know why?” He waited for her answering nod before continuing. “It’s difficult enough as it is getting through this, I appreciate the help. You’re welcome aboard the Lumiere anytime.” Though he was still smiling, he was only partly joking about having a spot for her on his ship. If she ever decided to wise up and leave her shitshow of a captain, he’d accept her with open arms.

“I’m fine where I am, but thanks. Good luck, I’ll make sure no one walks in on you two.” 

“Thank you again. I’ll be gone before you know it.” Still smiling slightly, she shook her head in disbelief and informally saluted her goodbye before leaving. Simply nodding due to the tray in his hands, Germaine closed the door just in time to turn and see Dubab sitting up and stretching in bed, his back turned toward the captain. Ah,  _ that _ was the reason he came here. The movement of his arms above his head drew attention to the toned muscles in his back and shoulders, displaying the raw power lurking just under the skin. At this point Germaine wasn’t sure whether it was his heat making him react like this or if it was just his own traitorous thoughts, but either way he gave himself a moment to admire the orc’s form as he walked back over. Setting the tray down on the bedside table, he took a moment to actually hang up his coat this time, folding it neatly over the back of a chair before settling down on the bed again.

“Rivur brought this. I’m not sure how much of that you heard, but I can only assume you’ll be letting me stay until this gets resolved?”

“Damn right, you’re not going anywhere.” Germaine rolled his eyes at the possessive words, refusing to dignify that sort of thing with any sort of real answer. He finished his drink quickly, leg bouncing impatiently off the edge of the mattress as he rested his head against his own steepled fingers. His heat was slowly returning, but he was lost in thought as he waited for Dubab to finish his godsdamn water. Jumping slightly the sensation of a clawed hand running over his back, he turned to see Dubab smirking at him, tankard still half full. Again rolling his eyes at the orc, Germaine turned back away from him, trying to focus on anything except the feeling against his skin. It was so nice to have someone touching him again, and his hand drifted down to his dick when it finally became unbearable. Eyes sliding shut as he grabbed himself, he didn’t notice Dubab’s other hand moving until it stopped him from his motions. He let out a high whine before he could stop himself, the sudden lack of stimulation- no matter how inadequate- bringing back the empty feeling in his core twofold. Opening his eyes again to look up at his rival, heat shot through him at the dark look in his eyes. When did he finish his glass?

  
Coming back into his own head for a moment, Germaine blushed dark at just how reactive he was being. Shit, why did  _ this one _ have to be the only option? Releasing his hand, Dubab settled himself comfortably on the bed, looking up at Germaine with far more amusement than was acceptable. 

“So are you gonna stare all day, or are you gonna get up here and sit on my dick?” His confidence was infuriating, but Germaine knew he wouldn’t last much longer on his own anyway. His eyes flicked down to see what he was working with, finding Dubab already hard and waiting for him- dammit, why did he have to be this attractive? Although the blush grew further on his cheeks, he climbed up to straddle him without further remark. Dubab simply watched, hooded eyes tracking Germaine’s every movement. Once he was settled in place, clawed hands slid up to rest on Morgan’s hips; they didn’t try and control his speed or even move him around, he seemed to leave them there just for the sake of touch. 

Germaine started to grind down on him, finding that their last fuck had been recent enough that he didn’t necessarily need to be stretched again. It would be a little tight, but when had he ever been prepared thoroughly anyway? He didn’t even have time to open his mouth to ask for the oil, Dubab already holding it out for him to take. Sending him a grateful nod, Germaine sat back for a moment and slicked Dubab’s dick, quickly positioning himself over top of it and sinking down right to the base. He wasn’t nearly as desperate as he had been before, but it was slowly getting harder to think, and it felt amazing to have someone inside him again. Dubab’s cock was fucking  _ made _ for this, filling him up to the brim, stretching him to capacity, and he hadn’t even moved yet. His hands stabilized him on Dubab’s chest, unapologetically feeling up the swathes of muscle as he attempted to control his breathing. Trying to adjust to the sheer size was a feat in and of itself, and as he made eye contact with the man beneath him he could only see desire. One of the hands twitched against his hipbone, a testament to the orc’s contained strength, and Germaine finally started to move.

He’d been riding him for a while before his rhythm started to get shaky, coordinated and precise movements replaced by lustful bucks of his hips. Clawing hard at Dubab’s chest, trying to leave even a scratch on that tough skin, Germaine moaned as he felt the knot starting to swell at the base. At that point, Dubab decided to take over. His hands tightened on Morgan’s hips and suddenly the pirate hunter was being moved up and down like a fucking toy, losing all control of his movements as he bounced on the orc’s dick. In his head Germaine knew that shouldn’t be doing as much for him as it actually was, but in the moment it was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. 

Morgan came with the swelling knot just brushing against his entrance, whimpers and moans streaming from his lips. He didn’t expect Dubab to stop, or even slow down, and his thoughts were blissfully blank as the pirate sped up to chase his own pleasure. Snarling as he watched Germaine’s expression change, Dubab fucked him right up to the edge of overstimulation, waiting until he was trying to squirm out of his grip before using gravity to help shove the knot back inside him. Germaine let out a high pitched moan as he felt that extra stretch, and Dubab came hard seeing his face screwed up in pleasure. 

Germaine caught his breath more quickly this time, unable to stay mad this time around- he was simply resigned to the fact that he’d be fucking this man for however long it took for this to go away. That wasn’t to say Dubab wasn’t good, but gods, there were so many things wrong with this situation. He just had to ignore everything that felt a little too right.

—————-

They continued on and off for the rest of the day, the gaps between their sessions gradually getting longer and longer as Germaine started to get his heat under control. Though he was endlessly thankful- as always- that it was gradually diminishing, the subtraction in the time they spent fucking meant an addition to the time Dubab had to annoy him. He stopped Dubab from knotting him under the threat of his absence, no matter how disadvantaged he would be without the orc there with him. Thankfully Dubab knew that his spite outweighed his self-preservation instincts, and finally backed off. The extra time gained from not having to wait for the knot to go down allowed him more time for activities that didn’t make him want to shoot himself in the head, and Dubab did allow him to wander the ship as long as Rivur went with him. It was more than Germaine had expected given that they were normally trying to kill each other, but the sense of everything being slightly different threw him off as he wandered the halls. There were new compartments to the ship, all different crew members of course, and a sense of alienating nostalgia haunting him as he walked. 

Rivur was still the same though, thank the gods, and Germaine still enjoyed his conversations with her no matter the distance between them. However, he frequently had to end their talks sooner than he would’ve liked to get back to Dubab. She’d had to police him a few times, taking him back herself as she noticed his mannerisms change; according to her, his face was flushed, he was much more distracted than normal, and he kept fidgeting with his hands. All signs that Germaine couldn’t deny, simply grumbling about how they’d been having such a  _ nice _ talk as she dragged him back to her captain’s quarters. She didn’t do anything more than berate him for his choice in companions, leaving him sputtering and indignant while she simply laughed. He frequently offered her positions on his crew, but each time she declined, refusing even to give a reason. Though it left Germaine disappointed, he didn’t push her for an answer, and they kept up their strange schedule. He had no idea why she was content to be second in command to an idiot like Dubab, but he supposed he wasn’t terrible at everything he did.

Germaine was very acutely reminded of just what he was good at that night after they’d attempted to finally get some rest. They couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours when the pirate hunter woke up panting, coated in a thin layer of sweat,  _ needing _ to be full again. Glancing over at Dubab still laying next to him, he quickly decided it would be both too much effort and too much of an ego stroke to wake him up for this, instead electing to try and deal with it himself. Germaine quietly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and padding softly over to the desk to grab the oil. He couldn’t help but glance back at Dubab’s sleeping form once more, again contemplating his options, but deciding to go through with his current plan and head back to his side of the bed. 

Gracefully situating himself against the headboard, he attempted to be as quiet as possible as he drizzled the oil over his fingers, sliding one into himself and crooking it to find just the right spot. Taking advantage of Dubab’s tendencies as a heavy sleeper, he allowed a few breathy moans to escape as he soon added a second. Knees spreading further apart, his free hand reached down to grab his dick, dividing his attention and working in tandem to bring himself up to the edge. However, he couldn’t seem to reach that final peak; doing an excellent job of staying quiet despite his frustration, he just needed a final push, he wasn’t  _ quite _ there, this was just as bad as before. He stopped, resting his head back against the wood behind him and panting softly as he let his eyes close.  _ Shit _ . Here he was again with only one option. Dubab was here for a reason, but gods, Germaine didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Maybe he could just… 

If he played his cards right, Germaine wouldn’t even have to wake him up to get this done. It normally took a thunderstorm to wake the orc, and they’d been going at it the entire day; the odds were in his favor that Dubab would think the sensations were just a dream, and they could both get back to sleep. The pirate hunter was- to his great resentment- well aware that Dubab slept naked, and all he had to do was softly ease the covers down his body and get to work. With the hand already slick with oil, he reached down and gently grabbed the orc’s cock, stroking it slowly and brushing a thumb over its head to coax him back to hardness. A low intake of breath made him pause for a moment, glancing up at Dubab’s face to see if he’d actually woken up, but he had simply shifted in his sleep in response to the sensations. Germaine let a smirk grow across his face as he worked, eyes flicking back down to see the orc’s cock steadily swelling with blood. Excellent.

Already stretched from his earlier activities, Germaine just had to wait until Dubab’s cock was fully hard to begin, climbing up to straddle him and gently laying his hands on his chest. He sank down slowly to the base- a twinge of pride flowing through him as he managed to hold back his moans- and allowed his eyes to slip shut for a moment. Absorbing the sensations, he gently rocked back and forth, trying to take in the sense of fullness even before he regained his sight. However, the moment his eyes flicked open, they locked with a pair of black ones shining at him in the dark. He could barely see them move in the dim lighting, but Germaine knew they were scanning him up and down, a glint of hunger glaring in their depths through the tired fog.  _ Shit _ .

“I couldn’t wait any longer,” Germaine panted out as an explanation, beginning to really grind down onto the dick underneath him. He bit his lip as he moved, spreading his legs further apart to better accommodate for the orc’s wide hips. Dubab growled lowly at the sensation, rolling his hips up to meet the man on top of him as he reached up to grab him. However, it was very clearly the last thing he expected for Germaine to shove them away, coming to a stop as he glared down at him.

“No! You’re always in control, telling me what to do and moving me around. It’s my turn to take what I want.” Germaine wasn’t completely sure where that little spiel came from, but Dubab’s shocked expression was so worth it. He looked like an idiot, and that didn’t seem quite like any sort of protest. Interesting. At that point a grin spread across Dubab’s face, the orc chuckling lowly and raising his hands to demonstrate his compliance.  _ Very _ interesting. Germaine could only watch as he laced his fingers together behind his head, leaning back and keeping eye contact while he moved.

“Then put on a show, Appendix.” Blinking in surprise, Germaine paused for a moment as Dubab actually followed his demands. Huh. That’s never happened before. Letting him get away with more than normal, huh? Wonderful. Time to push his luck.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Dubab cocked an eyebrow at his tone, but the expression quickly morphed back into one of pleasure as Germaine started to move. He followed orders for once, staying right where he was while Germaine rode him, hands on his chest, eyes closed so he couldn’t see Dubab watching him as he moaned. As always the orc felt fucking amazing, somehow only letting out the occasional huff as Germaine bounced on his dick. Morgan was grinding down on him, chasing his own pleasure,  _ so _ close to release- he just needed that extra push. Eyes cracking open just the tiniest bit, he immediately locked eyes with Dubab looking like he wanted to absolutely devour him, that hungry expression finally pushing him over the edge. He shoved himself as far down as he could on Dubab’s cock, trying to be quiet enough to avoid waking the rest of the ship but still letting out a shaky moan as he came. Keeping his eyes closed for a moment, he let his head hang back as he basked in the afterglow.

It was the most at-peace Germaine had felt in a long while, and it was heaven until he felt two clawed hands gently but firmly come to rest on his hips. A confused expression flirting across his face, he opened his eyes and slowly looked down to find Dubab smirking up to him.  _ Oh no. _

“Dubab, what are you-  _ ah _ !” Germaine’s question was quickly cut off as Dubab started to grind up into him, holding him in place with a newfound iron grip on his hips. The confusion previously present on his face quickly morphed into desperation, his hands scrabbling on Dubab’s chest as he struggled to get away from the extra stimulation, but it was no use. Dubab was much too strong for him to influence on a normal day, not to mention when he was already tired and fucked out. Although Germaine quickly slapped a hand over his mouth to try and muffle himself, he was sure Dubab could still hear the high pitched whines and moans streaming from his lips as the orc refused to relent. As he squirmed in Dubab’s lap, neither of them were quite sure if he was trying to get away from the overstimulation or attempting to move impossibly closer. 

Only when he started to get hard again did Dubab pause, allowing Germaine a moment of reprieve to catch his breath. The moment was short lived, however, when the orc lifted him entirely off his dick and flipped them over, adjusting their positions so that Morgan’s back was against his chest. Grabbing his hips, he lifted him to his knees and smoothly slid back in- drawing a gasp out of the man beneath him- before grabbing the back of Germaine’s head and shoving it into one of the pillows. It all happened quickly enough that Germaine had no time to even protest, much less fight against it. And with the hand pressing his face into the bed, he had no ability to do either even after it was over. Any attempts to push himself up were proven useless, his powerlessness further emphasized by Dubab leaning down and whispering directly into Germaine’s ear.

“Remind me again who’s in charge, Morgan?” Unable to help himself, Germaine moaned into the pillow at his words, smelling salt water and iron and  _ Dubab _ every time he breathed in. The scent was only making him hornier, pushing him deeper into his heat, but he would  _ not _ give Dubab the satisfaction of hearing him say it. The orc shoved his head down even further before letting go entirely, planting his hands on either side of his face and starting to lazily thrust. The overstimulation left over from his first orgasm was starting to fade, leaving Germaine with the feeling of needing more; these slow rolls of Dubab’s hips weren’t doing anything for him and they both fucking knew it. But Germaine still couldn’t help the soft whines and gasps drawn from his lips as he fisted the sheets, because it was just enough to keep him going but not enough to get him anywhere. He could gradually feel his heat returning in response to the stimulation, only able to whimper as the sensation returned. Attempting to rut back against his bedmate, to try and make him go faster, to try to get him to do  _ anything _ , also proved useless; his rhythm didn’t budge, and for what seemed like the millionth time that day, Germaine broke.

“Please, I-I need more.” Germaine hated how shaky his voice sounded, hated that Dubab got him to beg again, hated that he felt like this. It was fucking humiliating, and it only got worse when Dubab had the godsdamn audacity to smack him on the ass before speaking.

“You don’t get to make commands here,  _ Appendix _ . Remember that,” Dubab growled, adjusting himself enough to grab Germaine’s hips and start to fuck him for real. Morgan had to bury his face back into the pillow to muffle his moans, reaching down to touch himself to try and reach his peak just a little sooner. Infuriatingly, Dubab was a step ahead of him, only needing one hand to grab both his wrists and pin them above his head. Through the pounding in his ears he could hear Dubab chuckling as he struggled, quickly giving up and pushing back against him, meeting each of his thrusts.

Germaine was trying desperately not to come; the ego boost Dubab would get from making him come untouched- twice, no less- would be so annoying to deal with. But his thrusts were hitting right where he needed it most and he couldn’t stop himself from trying to get more, get it faster, get it harder. He was so close, he was right on that edge, and he barely recognized his own voice as pleas tumbled from his lips. He only noticed after he’d started hearing himself speak that he’d shifted his head just enough to reveal his mouth, to  _ beg _ , and to his own disgust he couldn’t even feel ashamed. Everything finally fell blank as Dubab hit the spot he’d been waiting for, finally shoving him off that ledge, the orc’s name much too familiar on his tongue as he came.

Dubab fucked him through his second orgasm, snarling in response to the shaking and moaning that accompanied the white streaks on the sheets. He kept up the breakneck speed just as Germaine had expected him to, but just as the feeling started to shift into overstimulation he could feel the rhythm begin to falter. Morgan couldn’t have moved even if he’d tried, but Dubab still held his hips in a bruising grasp to keep him in place as he thrust as far as he could go. Shoving in his knot just before coming in Germaine’s ass, he managed to keep his noise level to a deep growl as his companion’s eyes rolled back in his head.

He didn’t let Germaine go when he finished, instead rolling over and spooning him from behind, dragging him over so his chest was flush with the other man’s back. Germaine didn’t have it in him to complain about how sweaty they both were, simply pillowing his head against Dubab’s bicep and attempting to recover his mental functions. He was vaguely aware of Dubab continuing to lazily suck hickies onto his neck, but by the time he was coherent enough to say anything about it the skin was already thoroughly marked. Besides, even when he started bitching at Dubab for the bruises, all he got in response was a low growl and a slight nip just under his jaw. Sighing in resignation, Germaine simply adjusted his position and attempted to ignore it so he could finally get back to sleep.    
  


Dubab did stop eventually, shifting to rest his chin on the top of Germaine’s head and quickly falling back asleep. Even if the pirate hunter had wanted to get out he doubted he could, the orc’s weight acting as both a comfort and a cage. Whatever. It unnerved him less than it probably should’ve that he was so okay with their current position, and he’d never admit to liking the arm draped over his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First work with multiple chapters! We’re almost in the final stretch, thanks again for reading! As always, comments keep me going, thanks everyone!


	3. Chapter 3

He stayed on Dubab’s ship for three days. Rivur was astonished they made it that long without killing each other, but they managed to keep the peace until Germaine was confident he could make it at least another day before the next wave. Besides, the week was almost up; even if he had a final surge, he could work through it on his own- he was sure of it this time. As he gathered his things, he couldn’t help a small sigh of resentment at the state of his shirt, most of the top buttons ripped off, claw marks running up and down the sides. Ugh, he should’ve known. Served him right for coming here at all, much less in one of his better dress shirts. He wondered if Dubab was purposefully ignoring him as he got dressed or if the orc just didn’t care, glancing over to watch him sharpen his songblade at the side of his bed; he wasn’t quite sure why apathy stung so much more than the alternative. Quickly shaking off the feeling, he checked that he had all he’d entered with before finally donning his coat and making his way to the door. The sound of the whetstone against the blade stopped when his hand met the doorknob, proof that yes, Dubab had been paying attention. Germaine couldn’t resist a small smirk at the knowledge, but made sure to wipe it off his face before turning back to face the man he’d spent the past few days with. He at least owed him a proper goodbye.

“Thank you Dubab, I appreciate the help, but I have a ship of my own to get back to.” The more he distanced himself before he left, the easier it would be. There was a reason they no longer sailed together, and it would do them both well to remember it. Germaine’s attempts to keep his expression neutral were of course disregarded by Dubab, hesitating just long enough for suspicion to arise before turning back around with a dark smirk. 

“You’re welcome, doll. Anytime.” The wink Germaine received made him want to deck Dubab right in his idiotic green face, no matter how long they’d just spent together, but he managed to keep his reaction down to a simple rolling of his eyes. He could see right through the charade anyway, living with someone for centuries tended to make one familiar with their tells; the orc was covering something up. Germaine forced himself to ignore it, turning back to the door as he moved to leave.

“Goodbye, Dubab. Don’t expect this to interfere with how I act as a captain.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll see you next time.” Germaine didn’t even bother to look back as he shut the door behind him. Next time he’d have someone else.

He managed to avoid most of the crew as he left, ignoring the one or two wolf whistles or leering comments thrown his way as he walked. He was above them anyway. The only one he paid any heed to was Rivur, sending her a nod of appreciation when they met eyes. Her answering nod was just on the edge of familiar, clearly knowing just as well as he did that they’d go back to being enemies as soon as he stepped off the ship. Shame, she’d always been his favorite. He’d keep a spot open for her on his crew just in case she ever decided to wise up and switch sides.

The walk through Bowerstone wasn’t refreshing, per say, but it was exponentially better than the stale air of the ship he’d left. The crowded streets reminded him of his childhood home: deftly dodging bystanders as he raced across the cobblestone to watch the ships come in. Germaine chuckled softly to himself at the memory, glancing up at the sky to check the position of the sun only to spot a pair of black wings headed towards the docks. Of fucking course.  _ Now _ he was back. Just barely holding back a groan of annoyance, Germaine simply let out a heavy sigh through his nose before making his way back to the Lumiere.

Any crew members that saw him as he stepped on board wisely chose not to comment on his appearance, briefly saluting him before returning to whatever job they’d been performing. Ignoring them outside of a brief nod of acknowledgement, Germaine quickly spotted Sylas by the bow speaking with the quartermaster, using the time it took to make his way across the deck to figure out just what he was going to say. On one hand, he knew it wasn’t technically Sylas’ fault that he’d been gone. He’d given the proper notice, and if Germaine’s head had been just a bit clearer, he likely could have found a way to track him down. It would’ve taken longer, sure, but it could have been done. This was on him just as much as it was Sylas. On the other hand, he’d just spent three days fucking the man he thought he’d left behind decades ago, and he was just itching to pin the blame on someone. Decisions, decisions. He supposed he’d wait for Sylas to speak first, then decide the path he was taking after receiving more information.

Despite his prior thought, any potential planning went out the window as soon as Sylas looked at him, stopping mid-sentence to give his captain a once over with his eyes. Though his face remained carefully neutral, his hands clenching into fists made Germaine realize just how he looked; it was very clear where he’d been and what he’d been doing. His shirt was ripped open despite his best efforts, the collar of which did nothing to disguise the dark bruises littered up and down his neck. Given that Dubab didn’t own a fucking hairbrush, he was sure that the low ponytail he’d thrown in was in complete disarray, and there was a growing look in Sylas’ eyes that suggested someone was going to get hurt. Shit. Neither of them paid any attention to the quartermaster excusing herself, clearly not wanting anything to do with the murderous looks being exchanged between the two men. Despite never taking his eyes off of his captain, Sylas waited until they were alone to begin speaking.

“... so where have you been?”

“I think you know exactly where.” Sylas’ eyes narrowed at the response, clearly not happy with that particular answer. Well fuck him, it wasn’t as if Germaine had been particularly pleased with how the week had gone either. He gave his first mate an equally cold look, raising an eyebrow for good measure. “My heat started a week early, I’ve been with him.” Finally Sylas seemed to understand the situation, looking sufficiently guilty but still torn on how to react. Served him right.

“Why didn’t you call for me?” Shit, wait, was that hurt in his eyes? Germaine hadn’t meant to take it this far, guilt creeping into his own conscience as he stood up straighter, starting to take another step towards him before hesitating. Had he fucked up worse than he’d anticipated?

“Because you have responsibilities of your own, I didn’t have a way to contact you, I- gods, Sylas. I wasn’t thinking right. I’m sorry, I should’ve said something.” Germaine felt wretched, trying to hide his own emotions for the sake of his first mate, but doing an especially poor job if the softening of his expression was any indication. Sylas uncrossed his arms, sighing slightly as he walked forward and gently took Germaine’s hands.

“Morgan, I’m not mad. I just hate not being there when you need me. If this ever happens again, I’ll drop everything to get back here, you know that, right?” Nodding sheepishly, Germaine looked down at the planks on the deck for a moment, glancing back up only to see that Sylas’ expression had shifted from understanding and compassionate into amused and slightly disdainful. “But really?  _ Him _ ?”

“Oh shut up, you were gone, who else?” Germaine retorted, indignant at his teasing attitude.

“Literally anyone. You’re a fucking idiot.” He said it so matter-of-factly that Germaine was taken aback for a moment. Sylas knew how he felt about this sort of thing, knew how much he despised being that vulnerable with someone he didn’t trust. However, as he opened his mouth to respond, Sylas tightened the grip on one of his hands before he had a chance to speak, dropping the other and whirling around to march toward his quarters. “But you’re  _ my _ fucking idiot, so let’s go. I’ll show you what you’ve been missing.” The exasperation in his tone had been touched by determination, a hint of a growl present in the undertones of his words. Even without seeing his face, Germaine could easily decipher the true meaning behind his words:  _ ‘let me show you I’m better than he is, let me show you I’m all you need.’ _ They’d have to address the jealousy together at a later time, but he let it slide for now, unable to help the grin that spread across his face as they quickly strode across the deck. Of course he always had to fall for possessive bastards. 

Proving his point nigh instantaneously, the elf all but growled as someone walking by them in the hallways stared a little too long for his liking, forcing their gaze down to the floor with a glare that probably could have melted steel. He knew he should probably be telling Sylas to stop terrorizing the other crew members, but the fluttering in his stomach compelled him to just go along with it. They’d be out of sight soon anyway, and Germaine couldn’t  _ wait _ to see what his first mate had in store for him.

—————-

What Sylas lacked in raw strength he made up for in skill; Germaine felt like he was floating as he came down from his high. His back was pressed against the elf’s chest, black feathers neatly tucked over the both of them as nimble fingers sketched incomprehensible patterns onto his stomach. Taking a deep breath in, Germaine was met with the rich scent of fresh air, cedarwood, and a spice he couldn’t quite name. He was finally home.

Germaine hummed lowly in approval at the feeling of his first mate’s lips pressing against his neck, tilting his head slightly to allow him more access. Gentle and precise, Sylas brushed over pre-existing bite marks and bruises with soft kisses of his own, a promise in every press of his lips against tan skin.

“Next time I’ll be there,” he murmured quietly, resting his forehead against Germaine’s long hair. Morgan could tell it was said more for himself than for his audience, but couldn’t ignore the pang of guilt that hit his chest at the words. The poorly concealed regret in his tone allowed his true emotions to shine through, shedding light on the unspoken meaning underlying the words:  _ ‘because this time I wasn’t.’ _ In that moment, in the arms of the man he’d restarted everything with, Germaine swore his own silent vow to match. This was who he wanted in his life; he wasn’t ever going back to how it was before.

“So will I,” he whispered back. They’d have bumps in the road, problems that seemed larger than life, but they’d go through it together. Just like they always had. Sylas pressed a final kiss to his skin- just where Germaine knew the darkest of marks lay- and wordlessly readjusted the wing resting across them. “You don’t have to compare yourself to him, you know that right?” The elf remained silent behind him, pressing just a touch closer in lieu of an answer. Germaine sighed, reaching down to grab one of his hands and squeezing it softly before letting his eyes slip shut. “You’ll always be better anyway.” He fell asleep to the feeling of a smirk against the back of his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! It means a lot to have people spend this much time on my content! If people ask for it I’ll upload the ending scene I skipped over (with Sylas) as soon as I finish it lol. Love you guys, comments make my day!


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